Romanian MPs adopt two controversial changes to anticorruption laws

The changes to the Criminal Code were not the only controversial bills adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday, July 4, Adevarul reported.

The ruling coalition’s MPs, with the support of some deputies representing the minorities, also passed two changes to the law on preventing and sanctioning corruption offenses.

One of the changes decriminalizes influence peddling by MPs if they don’t get direct personal benefits from this while the other one removes criminal charges for public officials who intermediate bribes. Both changes were initiated by Social Democrat Party PSD MP Catalin Radulescu, a politician who has made many controversial statements in the past, including one in which he suggested he would shoot the anti-government protesters who went to the streets against the controversial Ordinance 13 in early 2017.

According to the changes adopted by the Parliament, it is now legal for an MP to use his influence over public servants to the benefit of third parties. Moreover, a public official can’t be charged with bribery if he gets no benefits for himself and the money goes to his political party or other individuals.